Fall into a great book

Fall is here and with it comes cooler temperatures and the perfect opportunity to snuggle under a blanket by a roaring fire with a good book…or a Nook….or a Kindle. My point is this: I’m not a big fan of colder weather but it does present more opportunities for reading.

So today, we’re going to snuggle up with a new author. Fellow TWRP author and frequent blog visitor, Caroline Clemmons, introduced me to Daryn Cross and her book sounded so intriguing, I just had to invite her over.

Welcome to my blog, Daryn!

 

Daryn-

I am so delighted to be here. Thank you so much for asking me.

Lilly-

I love summer and warm weather. But fall in NC isn’t too cold. Where do you live and what’s your favorite season?

Daryn-

You have more of the four seasons than I do Lilly. I live in West Texas, and although we have a fall, there aren't that many trees where I live to enjoy--not that display of red gold and orange you get in North Carolina, where I was born, by the way.

Lilly-

Where were you born?

Daryn-

Durham, NC. My dad was in graduate school at Duke. We left there when I was still a baby, but came back twice many years later for my dad to continue school for his PhD. That time he was at UNC Chapel Hill, but my mom worked at Duke. We play no favories!

Lilly-

Wow! That's just one county over from me. My daughter is a huge Duke fan, but she's currently enrolled at UNC.

So, what do you do in your spare time? I love the beach and visiting museums and historic sites. Where do you like to go and what do you enjoy? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Daryn-

Spare time? What's that? When I have it I do love the beach. I am crazy about the National Gallery of Art in D.C. and could spend unbelievable hours there. Lake Tahoe is my favorite place. The scenery is unbelievable and I am fascinated by the casinos, although I'm really not that much of a gambler. I don't like to lose money. I also love to read and cook, but, honestly, these days I'm in front of my computer most of the day.

Lilly-

I hear that. lol! So, how about sharing some personal info? Do you write full time? Or do you have a “day” job? What about family?

Daryn-

I'm married to a an "old hippie" Vietnam vet, and we live in the country outside Lubbock with a crazy Chocolate Lab. Right now, I'm writing fulltime, as I was laid off from my day job as a home care administrator (the hospital sold the division). I do write as many hours as I used to work, maybe more.

 

Lilly-

Ouch! Layoffs are scary. My husband is in route sales and back in 2007, the company he worked for went through restructuring and his route was cut. He got a severance package but he misses working for a larger corporation. His current job is with a privately owned company.

But let's talk about something a bit more pleasant. Caroline Clemmons is a fellow Wild Rose Press author and a frequent guest on my blog. She speaks very highly of you. How did the two of you meet?

Daryn-

I joined Yellow Rose and asked the YRs if I could stay with someone when I drove in for a conference. Caroline volunteered and we've been best buds ever since. Her hubby, Lilburn, is such a gentleman and a delight to be around, and I'm in love with their dog. He greeted me each morning I woke up. 

Lilly-

Don't ya love it when you "click" with someone new?

So, how did you get started writing?

Daryn-

I wanted to write a docudrama about an old bar, but I didn't have the fiction skills, only nonfiction, so I attended an RWA chapter meeting, Virginia Romance Writers. A romance writer was born. It took awhile for the romance writer to also become a fantasy writer. 

Lilly-

Was this when you were still living in North Carolina? Virginia seems like a long way to travel from West Texas.

Daryn-

No, then I was living in Richmond, Virginia and working at a regional hospital system, Bon Secours St. Mary's.

Lilly-

I was born in Richmond, Virginia and lived the first 10 years of my life in nearby Ashland before my family moved to North Carolina. 

How long have you been writing?

Daryn-

Almost sixteen years.

Lilly-

And what advice would you like to give new authors?

Daryn-

Don't think you'll be an overnight success, and work like the devil, take advice from experienced writers. More than anything, never give up.

Lilly-

What’s the name of your latest release? Can you give us a brief description?

Daryn-

IT'S MAGIC, released by Crescent Moon Press, www.CrescentMoonPress.com, is a romantic fantasy co-authored by L.J.DeLeon and me.

Blurb:

Can true love exist between a man who believes a woman is capable of sticking a shive in his heart while making love and a woman who is convinced men think with only one head? Maxwell Magic, an eccentric mysterious matchmaker swears it can and he’s the man to provide the stimulus to make it happen. Kasey Bell, feminist writer, and Guy McLane, radio’s famous chauvinistic psychiatrist, are his targets. Even with carefully executed plans, the road to true love is strewn with mishaps, mirth and money-hungry nighttime talk show hosts. Will Kasey and Guy risk their reputations by exposing secrets buried beneath layers of shame and self-doubt for a desperately needed big money pay-off? Or, will they claim what has evaded them their entire lives—a love that lasts forever?

Lilly-

How about an excerpt?

Daryn-

Excerpt:

As Kasey followed the stagehand, Guy grimaced. Damn. Why’d she have to have sea-green eyes and be a natural, sun-streaked blonde? He was a sucker for natural blondes, she appeared to be one. Unlike his ex, Helen, he suspected Kasey Bell’s blonde hair wasn’t found just on her head.

            His gaze took in her tight ass and long legs. God, what legs Some men were turned-on by big breasts. Others by asses. Not him. He was a leg man through and through.

And Kasey had the best set he’d seen in years.

            Her dress clung in all the right places and was designed to make a man forget his own name. Not that it had a chance with him.

Guy studied her the way a connoisseur would a fine wine. Vintage seventy-three. He took another long, slow perusal and shook his head. He was wrong. The body on this Cabernet Sauvignon came from a perfect year. More likely a seventy-eight or if he were lucky, a classic seventy-five.

            He grinned as she smoothed the sides of her dress while continuing to cross the stage on her perfectly toned legs.

            Definitely still corked. She hadn’t had a chance to breathe, yet. He inhaled sharply. There was no mistaking a good mellow grape when he saw one. And when squeezed just right, the grape was memorable. One to be savored, never gulped.

            No question about it, Ms. Kasey Bell was premium sipping quality. First, he’d give her time to breathe. Then he’d taste her, a little at a time, a gentle swirl over the tongue, a teasing of the taste buds.

As he continued to examine her, Guy swallowed hard. From the way her dress moved and the lack of lines, she wore a thong and thigh-high hose. Her derriere was the perfect size for his hands to cup each cheek as he pulled her flush against him. He could feel her long legs wrapping around him. And then there were her delicate ankles. They were so slim his fingers could circle them.

The whole package was enough to bring a grown man to his knees. Especially one like him who’d been alone for the last three years. God, help him. Because if he didn’t, Guy knew there was no way he’d maintain his cool while seated next to her on stage.

“Dr. McLane?”

Guy snapped to attention. Standing before him were two lanky young men. “Yes.”

“I’m Josh Bell. This is my younger brother Jacob.”

Guy thrust out his hand and greeted each boy. “I understand you want to take some photos.”

“Yes, sir,” Josh answered.

“You’re our hero.”

Jacob frowned at Josh’s sharp jab to his ribs and Guy laughed. “What does your mother think of that?” He grinned as the two boys looked at each other, shrugged, then turned back to him.

“She hates it,” they said together.

“Dr. McLane, you’ve got two minutes.”

“Thanks, Al.” He turned to the boys. “We’d better get those photos taken.”

Guy started to move, then grimaced, again. Damn. He hadn’t reacted to a female this rapidly since adolescence. Back then, much to his embarrassment, all it’d taken was a slight breeze to get a reaction out of him. And at thirty-eight, the last thing he wanted was to look like a coat rack in some kids’ photos. “Both of you stand here,” he said, positioning the boys in front of him.

As Al Mack took more than a dozen photos, Guy wondered what it was about Kasey Bell that rang his chimes. They’d never met, yet he’d swear he’d seen her before.

Ah, well, he’d remember eventually. He never forgot a pair of legs, especially ones as spectacular as Kasey’s.

  

Lilly-

Love all the wine references. Ads flavor to the story. lol! So, do you have other published novels?

Daryn-

Yes, Linda Campbell and I have co-authored three romantic comedies and one time travel. The time travel , CRAIG LEGACY, is still available. The best way to review it is to go to the front page of our website, www.TerryCampbell.com There is a trailer there. There is also a description and buy link on the current books page.

Lilly-

Where can readers find your books?

Daryn-

Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The time travel is currently only in print.

Lilly-

How about networking? Do you have a website or blog address you’d like to share? What about Facebook link or other networking sites where readers can learn more about you and your wonderful books.

Daryn-

I have many:

www.DarynCross.com

www.TerryCampbell.com

www.CrossandDeLeon.com

www.DarynCross-fantasy.blogspot.com

Twitter: @DarynCross

Facebook: Daryn Cross

Lilly-

It’s been a  pleasure having you on my blog today. I wish you many sales!

Daryn-

Thank you for the opportunity, and for all you readers out there, just keep believing in magic.